The present invention is an improvement of the "Pressure-Sensing Device for Holding a Toothbrush" disclosed in White et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,604, issued on Oct. 16, 1984.
The invention disclosed therein relates to a toothbrush holding device which indicates to the user that a preselected, but variable, amount of force is being applied to the teeth. The toothbrush holding device can be used as an instructional tool for guiding or teaching a user to gradually increase the amount of pressure applied during brushing. Further general background of the invention is described in the White et al. '604 U.S. patent incorporated herein by reference.
While the preferred embodiment disclosed in the White et al. '604 U.S. patent achieves the objective of indicating when a preselected, variable amount of force is being applied to the teeth, it has a complex structure. The embodiment includes a toothbrush holder and a sleeve in which the toothbrush holder is pivotally supported. It also employs O-rings mounted on the holder and an adjustment cap threadedly mounted on the sleeve which compress the O-rings to provide variable resistence to the pivoting of the holder. Such complex structure of the holding mechanism for the toothbrush increases manufacturing costs.